Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-07-30
ne Weekly IntelHgencer
Gte farlfaster Jt,teIi9enfer.
LANCAsTER, JULY 81. 1851.
The HOtchklsS Guu,

It is something Of reflection on the en-
terprise Of our government, but greatly to
tho credit OF American inventive genius
that all machine guns Of any value, with
one exception, have been the inventions Of
Americans. Our war gave impulse to in.
ventive genius in the matter of weapons,
end when We suddenly turned from the cul-
Gvati0n Of the arts Of war to those of
peace, the inventors fouLd encouragement
abroad and perfected weapons that have
bad . most important influence upon mill
tary science.
B. d. Hotchkiss, an American, invented
amachine gun that has been adopted as
Standard by every civilized nation in the
world with the single exception of the
United States, and it is with satisfaction
that We note the signing Of a contract by
the secretary Of the navy which will at last
lad to the establishment Of a branch of the
Hotchkiss gun factory in this country.
The inventions of Mr.. Hotchkiss have
had . singular history. He made
six-pounder rifled field piece in 1856
which was highly commended by a
United States military commission and
promptly bought by the Mexican govern
ment. Foreign powers appreciate the
value Of our expert commissions far better
than our own government and are quick
to act upon their conclusions. This gun
was captured by the French in Mexico and
sent to Paris as curiosity, whereupon
Napoleon LII decorated Mr.. Hotchkiss for
advance in artillery science shown in this
first successful rified field gun. lie then
invented an improved shell which was
much used in the war. lie went 10
Paris after the war and in six weeks made
100000 by the invention Of a metallic
cartridge case which was adopted
by the French government. At the close
OF the Franco German war he
set 10 work TO remedy the defects
OF the mitrailleuse, and the result was the
ja0@ famous Hotchkiss gun, which the
United States was the first nation after
France to test and approve. When travel.
ing from Vienna to Bucharest in the
railway train, he fell into conversation
with ROumanian officer who happened
to lie great enthusiast on the subject of
magazine rifles shortly after the CONVEX
satiOn the train stopped at a station for
dining. Mr.. HOtchkiss ate his dinner, and
then taking newspaper from his pocket
sketched the scheme of magazine rifle on
the margin, made the single note this is
magazine rifle, shape it up" and mailed
the paper to his Office in Paris. The
sketch was shaped up as directed, and the
rifle was under competitive test within
Three months. This was the rifle after
wards adopted and now in the United
States navy. This was one of the first
official adoptions of a magazine rifle in any
service.
lie died in Paris in 1854, but though the
firm is foreign one, the control of the in-
ventiOns is yet in the hands of Americans
France, Germany, Russia and England
are the principal users of these guns, and
OF the 5,Os7 manufactured, only two have
failed,
The signing of the contract with this
great company means the establishment in
the United States Of factory. Such an es-
tablishment should be far enough from the
sea coast to insure safety in the event of
war and near enough TO furnish its war ma.
terial promptly for harbor defense and
naval armament. Lancaster is lust the
place, near to the coal, iron and steel. and
0nerlDg the best markets in the world.
cheap homes and good schools, for high
Class OF skilled labor. Let our Board of
Trade waken up and talk to the Hotchkiss
people in business way.